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Cotillion
Cotillion also called The Rope,House of Chains, Glossary, UK MMPB p.1016 was the companion of Shadowthrone and the Patron God of Assassins.Deadhouse Gates, Dramatis Personae, UK MMPB p.20 Ammanas sometimes called him 'old friend'.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.17 Cotillion was tall (taller than Ammanas)Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.16 with dark hair, at times worn straight and loose, also described as almost ragged. Another time it was described as 'a shock of black hair cut short'.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 6, UK HB p.169 His features were described as plain and even, although he had a strange hatch pattern of scars below his right eye. Karsa Orlong judged Cotillion to be pale as if unfamiliar with sunlight and with eyes that shifted colour in sunlight, blue to grey, to green and perhaps even brown, reflecting a cascade of indecision that matched his expression on that occasion.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 14 UK HB p.525 He was usually garbed in gray or black, tightly wrapped around his limbs, with a hood loosely covering his head. Cotillion's weapons of choice included a rope and a dagger. He was not known to lie or betray his word.The Bonehunters, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.171 In Gardens of the Moon As part of a plot to gain revenge on Empress Laseen and to cause the collapse of the Empire she ruled but had never earned,Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.124 Cotillion possessed a young fisher girl from a village off the coast of Itko Kan.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.19 Meanwhile, Shadowthrone sent the Hounds of Shadow to kill every possible witness in the area, including an entire regiment of the Itko Kanese 8th Cavalry. The girl, named Sorry by Cotillion,Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.18 joined Onearm's Host on GenabackisGardens of the Moon, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.32 eventually ending up with the Bridgeburners. Adjunct Lorn and Captain Ganoes Paran set out to investigate the Itko Kan Massacre. Paran traveled to Pale where Cotillion, in his guise as Sorry, murdered him to draw Lorn into the frayGardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.125 and to stop Paran from interfering in Sorry's work. As Cotillion approached Paran, an icy wind washed over the captain.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.123 Paran revived only due to Oponn's intervention.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.135-140 Cotillion accompanied the Bridgeburners to Darujhistan where he sought out the Coinbearer, the agent of the meddling Oponn. His attention first focused on Kruppe, who he followed to the Phoenix Inn. There he discovered his true quarry, Crokus Younghand.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, US HC p.265-269 Cotillion followed Crokus into the Gadrobi Hills, but before he could murder the young man, he was forced to relinquish his hold on Sorry after Shadowthrone was threatened by Anomander Rake.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 15, UK MMPB p.474/483 He and the Hound Rood later tracked down Ganoes Paran after Simtal's Gedderone Fête. Cotillion admitted his plan with Sorry had been flawed and he would have to try something new against the Empress. Paran offered him the sword, Chance, and Cotillion accepted.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 23, US HC p.461-462 In Deadhouse Gates Sorry, now known as Apsalar, traveled with Fiddler, Kalam, and Crokus to Seven Cities. There she experienced memories from the life of the god who had possessed her. From her account, they managed to work out Shadowthrone and Cotillion's true identities.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 5, US HC p.129-130 From his memories, she said Cotillion was an assassin who had not killed for coin, but for more honourable reasons. Cotillion saw himself as a man who fixed things in the most brutally efficient manner for the greater need. In fact, the assassin possessed some measure of sympathy for Laseen, who herself had made a calculated decision against Kellanved and Dancer for what she perceived as the best interest of the Empire.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 16, US HC p.438 Later Cotillion met the demon Apt and her adopted child Panek in the Shadow Realm. Introducing himself as Uncle Cotillion he expressed regret that the boy remembered his crucifixion and assured him that the punishment had not been the boy's fault. Cotillion was stunned to discover that the boy was able to see walls, trees, and other parts of the old places of the Shadow Hold that he could not. He asked the boy to teach him what he saw. Then he admitted to Apt that when he Ascended "it was to escape the nightmares of feeling...Imagine my surprise that I now thank you for such chains". When the boy asked him if he had any children, Cotillion revealed that he had a daughter of sorts. But they had a falling-out and she would need to forgive him for them to be reconciled.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 20, US HC p.534-536 In Memories of Ice Ganoes Paran told Silverfox that it was rumoured that Emperor Kellanved and Dancer had found a way into the Deadhouse in Malaz City. She shocked Paran by revealing that the pair had then ascended and taken control of High House Shadow as Shadowthrone and Cotillion. A thirst for vengeance explained why the two Ascendants had been trying to destroy a mere mortal such as Laseen. Silverfox theorised that although the Deadhouse was aspected to Death, Hood already occupied the position of King of High House Death. Since every Azath House led to every gate and Warren, Kellanved and Dancer had chosen Shadow as that House and throne had been empty. Afterwards, the House of Shadow had taken its place in the Deck of Dragons.Memories of Ice, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.145-146 During the Pannion War, Dujek Onearm tried to put Empress Laseen's recent actions into context for Whiskeyjack. The average Malazan soldier believed that Whiskeyjack had been stripped of his rank to eliminate a potential rival to the throne.Memories of Ice, Chapter 15, US SFBC p.523 But Laseen had purposefully inverted the command structure so that "the right people would be there at ground level when Shadowthrone and Cotillion made their move."Memories of Ice, Chapter 21, US SFBC p.770 In House of Chains Cotillion personally met with the Red Blade, Lostara Yil, asking of her a favor that would benefit the Malazan Empire and Laseen in turn.House of Chains, Chapter 8 ] Cotillion sent Cutter and Apsalar to Drift Avalii in order to protect the Throne of Shadow.House of Chains, Chapter 6 He arrived in the nick of time to save Cutter from the Tiste Edur, displaying amazing skill with his Rope and killing the rest of the Edur, then dismissing the cowering Blind, who had for some reason, been tamed and dismissed by the Edur, in disgust. He told Cutter to give the sword, Vengeance to Traveller and later sent the two to Iskaral Pust's temple. He and Shadowthrone stayed behind to mourn the loss of Hawl, who had died in the fight with the Tiste Edur. They then discussed their next move.House of Chains, Chapter 12 Apsalar asked him to stay away from Cutter and agreed to do his work herself in order to prevent Crokus from becoming a killer, to which Cotillion agreed. In The Bonehunters ] Cotillion met Mogora after she healed Mappo Runt, commenting that she was one of Ardata's followers. Afterwards, while Shadowthrone sent the Hounds of Shadow to kill Quick Ben, Apsalar decided to save him, performing a Shadow Dance. She injured the Hounds enough to keep them away from Quick Ben. Since her Shadow Dance was similar to Cotillion's, he was blamed for the Hounds' failure in killing Quick Ben in G'danisban.The Bonehunters, Chapter 15 Cotillion visited the cavern where Minala and the children of the Company of Shadow had been protecting the First Throne. Some of the children had grown to become young men and women, but Cotillion saw that even they were "too young in truth to be soldiers". Many had died horribly at the hands of Tiste Edur raiders, and Cotillion berated himself for not making the time to check on Minala and the children sooner. Minala confronted him about the losses. Cotillion could not offer much assistance, but he asked Shadowthrone to heal the many injured children.The Bonehunters, Chapter 17, US HC p.555-557/560/563 In Reaper's Gale (Information needed) In Toll the Hounds ] Shadowthrone and Cotillion met Traveller and provided him with supplies and the Hounds as guides. They also confronted Karsa Orlong and warned him to stay out of Traveller's way. In The Crippled God Cotillion spoke with Ampelas, Kalse and Eloth who were chained in Shadow Realm and offered them freedom in exchange for their help. He began to despair about the Bonehunters' fate and was chastised by Shadowthrone for his lack of faith. After Korabas was chained, Cotillion appeared behind the Crippled God and stabbed him in the back, sending him back to his followers. In Night of Knives The book described the events of the night of Dancer and Kellanved's disappearance. During the night of the Shadow Moon in 1154 BS, both Kellanved and Dancer had returned to Malaz City after having disappeared from the human realm for two years, during which time Laseen had assumed the role of the steward of the Empire. In these years, the two had been exploring the Azath Houses. Upon their return they were targeted by Laseen for assassination at Mock's Hold. Laseen used Otataral powder to counter Kellanved's magery, forcing Dancer to protect them both against dozens of the Claw including Possum and Topper. The two managed to retreat out of the window, seemingly falling out over a cliff and into the sea to their deaths.Night of Knives, Chapter 4, US TPB p.203-209 In reality, Dancer and Kellanved had used Laseen to stage their deaths. They went to the Deadhouse, an Azath house on the island, and ascended to High House Shadow and took control of its Throne as Ammanas and Cotillion.Night of Knives, Epilogue It has been theorized that Shadow was wandering over the physical realm like another layer of reality and that the night of the Shadow Moon was the convergence of the physical locations of Shadowkeep and the Deadhouse. In this way, they could ascend from the Deadhouse to the Shadow House. In Return of the Crimson Guard Shadowthrone and Cotillion pulled Traveller, Kyle, and their companions into the Shadow realm. Once they were in Shadowkeep, Shadowthrone proposed to help Traveller find his "quarry" in return for "a mere service." Before he could elaborate, he detected an emergence from Kyle's sword which was revealed to be Osserc. A Hound of Shadow arrived and a confrontation seemed inevitable until Hethe, Shadowthrone's monkey-like servant, defused it. Osserc departed and Traveller bid Kyle farewell. He had accepted Shadowthrone's offer without revealing what it was.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 2 Chapter 6, US HC p.487-493 Soon after, Traveller appeared near Li Heng during the Battle of the Plains to defeat Skinner whose Crimson Guard threatened the existence of the Malazan Empire.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 2, US HC p.620-622 In Stonewielder Cotillion met Shadowthrone at the site of the Tiste Liosan Army of Light's victory over the Chaos Whorl in Kurald Emurlahn. He complained that Shadowthrone was wasting his time monitoring the situation and that they were too busy to waste time on what was never a threat.Stonewielder, Epilogue, UK TPB p.629 In Dancer's Lament (Information needed) In Deadhouse Landing (Information needed) In Kellanved's Reach (Information needed) Empire History Cotillion was named Dancer during his mortal life, prior to ascendancy, and was the Master-Assassin and the bodyguard of Emperor Kellanved before his ascension. He was the Emperor's chief advisor.Gardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae, UK MMPB p. xiii Dancer's name was derived, at least in part, due to his ability to perform the Shadow Dance, which was an expression of the martial art of assassination although the connection was lost in some places where the dance was practised.House of Chains, Chapter 8, UK MMPB p.392 Back when Kellanved was running a tavern on Malaz Island, Dancer and Kellanved partnered with the aim of taking over the island's criminal organizations and overthrowing the local pirate ruler, Mock. They employed a young boy, Dujek. Nok, Hawl, and Amaron - all Napans - were in hiding on the island after Nap was conquered by Unta, but were discovered by Dujek and taken to his new employers. The scheme expanded further after Dancer bolstered their numbers by recruiting other Napan refugees who had fled their island, such as Cartheron and Urko Crust and Surly. Shortly thereafter, Toc the Elder, Dassem Ultor, Tayschrenn, and Duiker also joined. With this family, Kellanved and Dancer conquered Malaz Island. During the rise of the Malazan Empire, Dancer created and headed the Talon, an assassin organization that predated the Claw. Much later, during the Malazan invasion of Seven Cities, Dancer had journeyed to Aren to view the slaughter caused by the T'lan Imass. There he discovered the massacre had been ordered by the Clawmaster Surly and the two argued.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 5, US HC p.129 After his ascension Cotillion had visited the Temple of Rashan at Ehrlitan, along with two others, likely Ben Adaephon Delat and Shadowthrone himself, to wipe out the cult of Shadow. Only two people, Lostara Yil and Bidithal, were spared.House of Chains, Chapter 8 Those who abandoned their service to Ammanas faced retribution from Cotillion or one of Ammanas' disciples as "to begin the Path of Shadow and then to leave it is rewarded by the Rope."Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 12 Such a fate was somehow eluded by Quick Ben when he burned his vestments and left Shadow's service.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 12 Of her shared memories with Cotillion, Apsalar revealed that Dancer had only ever trusted two people in his life, Dassem and Kellanved. This was not true of the ascended Shadowthrone.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 5, US HC p.130 Trivia A Cotillion is a type of real world dance and the name was likely a subtle clue to the connection between Cotillion and Dancer. Gallery File:The Rope by misteradam.jpg|The Rope, card in the Deck of Dragons by Mister Adam File:Assassin of High House Shadow - The Rope by Keezy Young.png|The Rope by Keezy Young File:Cotillion by Dark.H.jpg|Cotillion by Dark.H File:Cotillion hanging.jpg|Interpretation of Cotillion in a scene from the Bonehunters by Aranict Cotillion and Blind by Sarinjin.jpg|Cotillion and Blind by Sarinjin Quotes Notes and references de:Cotillion pl:Sznur Category:Ascendants Category:Assassins Category:Cult of Rashan Category:Gods Category:Humans Category:High House Shadow Category:Malazans Category:Males Category:Rashan mages Category:Kellanved's family